The document discusses strategies employed by a research support office at a university to enhance communication and support for researchers. Key initiatives include multichannel communication, human hubs, and collaboration with various university departments, aimed at improving researchers' access to funding opportunities and policy updates. Recent surveys indicate a need for better use of resources and emphasize the importance of connecting with researchers through personalized engagement and social media.

1. COMBINING BRAINPOWER TO BOOST RESEARCH SUPPORT
RESEARCH DEPARTMENT
Esther De Smet
Getting the word out
Every research support office (RSO) at a large university faces the
conundrum of scale and efficiency: how do we best inform and
support all our researchers? How do we keep them up to date about
new policy and regulations, increase their chances of getting
funded, and allow them to have a bigger impact through their
research?
Esther De Smet
+32 (0)92643023
Esther.DeSmet@ugent.be
@ResearchUGent
http://www.ugent.be/en/research
MULTICHANNEL COMMS STRATEGY
+
HUMAN HUBS
Challenges
Large and diverse group of ‘customers’
Decentralized organisation
Changing landscape of communication tools
Changing landscape of research policy and regulations
Collaboration with Comms Office
Better flow of information
Better chances at funding success
Better chances at impact
Better relationship between research
community & RSO
MULTICHANNEL COMMUNICATION – ONLINE/OFFLINE HUMAN HUBS
Infosessions: funding opportunities, research policy, bibliometrics
Training: grant proposal writing, science communication, impact
Intake meetings
Matchmaking sessions
Electronic newsletter research policy, funding opportunities, events
4,000 subscribers (daily, weekly, two-monthly)
Joint effort: circa 7 RSO editors + input from University Library and
TechTransfer Office + collaboration with International Office
Website extranet + intranet
Big investment
2018 Survey:
. Suboptimal use of webinfo but 84% finds what they are looking for
. Link with other channels
. Importance of SEO: keywords
Day-to-day service of RSO
Representation in steering committees and working groups
Having a cup of coffee or lunch , visiting their labs/offices
Twitter since January 2012
Connecting with the networked scholar and multipurpose platform
1) Internal communication & community building
. Giving the RSO a face and a voice, giving researchers (ECRs) a voice
. Infusing solidarity and support into a competitive environment
2) External communication & public engagement
. Filling a comms void and reaching out
. Real life science
Lessons learned:
. Social media has ‘rules’
. Tone of voice matters
. Bonus of developping organisational know-how
. Acknowledge challenges and pitfalls (coach!)
. Sustainability?
Research
Department
University Library
Research Co-
ordination Office
Funding Units
Doctoral Schools
Support Unit
TechTransfer Office
Policy & Quality
Enhancement Unit
TYPES
 Business development managers (contact for 24
centres of Ghent University Industrial Liaison
Network)
 SSH research co-ordinators (4 SSH consortia)
 Research co-ordinators for other large research
groups
 Research policy support staff at faculty/school level
ROLES
 Knowledge brokers
 Policy partners
 Influencers
 Antennae
INTERACTION
 Regular information updates
 Train the trainer
 Working group member
Circa 60 staff members